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Alamosa, great job on this. Instead of welding the base plate, how about welding a smaller coupling, male or female, that you could place the pole in or over. This would allow you to detach it for packing up better. If you make it a bit sloppy it would also allow the base to set on uneven ground a little better.

Edit: Was just sitting on the thinking chair and thought that all you would really need to do is have a bead or small mound of weld on your plate that is smaller than the inside diameter of the conduit. This would keep the pipe from slipping out sideways and minimize the weight. Of course to go even lighter you could find a rubber end cap, like for crutches. Either to slip over the pipe or use a dowel adapter. It would probably still sink into the ground a little.

Alamosa, great job on this. Instead of welding the base plate, how about welding a smaller coupling, male or female, that you could place the pole in or over. This would allow you to detach it for packing up better. If you make it a bit sloppy it would also allow the base to set on uneven ground a little better.

Must need another cup of coffee this morning, as this is not sinking in. I don't understand what function the coupler would serve or what would need to be detached. What would it be coupled to?

The plate serves two purposes:
1) It keeps the pole from being driven into the ground under load. The two poles split the weight being applied to the hammock, so with hollow tubes, they drive straight into the ground.

2) Hold everthing in when packed up. The base becomes the floor of the packed container. After everything is nested, the pin is returned to the top hole and everything is locked in so even if the stand is turned upside down, the contents can't spill out.

Originally Posted by crackedup

Edit: Was just sitting on the thinking chair and thought that all you would really need to do is have a bead or small mound of weld on your plate that is smaller than the inside diameter of the conduit. This would keep the pipe from slipping out sideways and minimize the weight. Of course to go even lighter you could find a rubber end cap, like for crutches. Either to slip over the pipe or use a dowel adapter. It would probably still sink into the ground a little.

If I am understanding you correctly, I have thought of welding the bottom plate up inside the tube maybe a 1/4 inch to leave a small flange to dig into the ground and help anchor the pole from moving.

I am also thinking of maybe using a washer to weld as the base plate. Slightly heavier and it already has a hole to help with draining moisture and circulating air to keep everything dry.

I am pretty sure the weight would cause the poles to cut straight through a rubber cap.

We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
(known as a win-win on this forum)

I believe crackedup is referring to something like this. (I had my coffee)

Instead of being a 90* angle to the plate, the pole attachment would follow the angle of your main supports.
Making the connection loose, as c-u mentioned, would allow for varying angles caused by terrain.
The baseplate would prevent the stand from sinking into most loose soils.
Dutch will make you one from titanium.

I believe crackedup is referring to something like this. (I had my coffee)

Instead of being a 90* angle to the plate, the pole attachment would follow the angle of your main supports.
Making the connection loose, as c-u mentioned, would allow for varying angles caused by terrain.
The baseplate would prevent the stand from sinking into most loose soils.
Dutch will make you one from titanium.

Oh, I get it now. I guess, it could be rigged up to go both ways. Weld the base on the pole (this plate just fills in the hole in the pole) and then by having a female connector on the pictured base plate, it could be added when it is needed.

Dutch must love you guys volunteering him to make me stuff out of titanium. I know I do.

We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
(known as a win-win on this forum)

I knew there was something cool brewing when I saw your boomstake ideas posted...great job on bringing together the idea!! I don't know if it would work for your stand the way it is arranged but if you wanted to minimize the space you take up at the campsite, you don't necissarily need to have a full 15 feet between poles...I'm currently hanging my WBBB with the stock adjustable webbing straps from a stand with about 11 feet between my hanging points at about 4 1/2 ft high, which puts my rear about 1 ft off the ground and still maintains my 30 deg. hang...just a thought, it might reduce the amount of cordage and pole length you're using just a bit. HYOH

Here's a pic of my stand to illustrate that less distance still works great...although mine is by no means portable!! Again great job making it work!!

I agree that the key to reducing the overall length is in shortening the poles. For every foot removed from the poles, it reduces 6 feet in overall length. That is assuming a 45* angle on the anchor lines produces a foot off each end for each foot reduced and a 30* angle on the straps removes 2 feet from each end of the hammock - the gap - for each foot reduced.

I hadn't thought about going as low as 4.5 feet, but it may be worth a look. My first goal was 6 ft. so it fit in the pickup bed nicely. My next goal is to fit in the back of the van and suburban. I am not sure the desired length for that. Of course, any length fits the canoe.

The only downside to shorter poles is that since I am also hanging the tarp on it, the lower it goes, the lower I have to stoop to get under it.

Oh yea, I thought of another downside. The more I reduce my overall footprint, the closer the tents can setup. Those guys all have some ailment of the back in the morning. What if it is contagious?

We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
(known as a win-win on this forum)